Noob Q: Can the drive plate (flywheel) be changed without the huge hassle of... - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Variety=Spice · 11-28-2006, 07:34 AM

...completely removing the auto transmission on my 1991 V6 wagon?

I'm getting that clangy-grindy sound on occasion when I engage the starter and I suspect a few teeth on the drive plate are trashed. I swapped the starter with a 'new' one from the junkyard and still have the same symptom.

Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but I'd like to imagine the drive plate could be changed out by separating the trans from the engine just enough to sneak a wrench in there.

Any BTDTs?

Tommy · 11-28-2006, 09:24 AM

To replace it youll definatly have to remove the transmission. Although you can inspect it without removing the transmission.

under the car, there's a thin vertical plate that covers a portion of the transmission. its right next to where the engine and transmission mount. a couple of bolts and you can access the wheel and see if any teeth are messed up. Check the teeth on your starter too.

***toyomoho*** · 11-28-2006, 04:17 PM

If it is the ring gear, you might take a die grinder and attempt to taper the damaged teeth again to allow a smoother engagement (for a time at least). Remember, starter engagement location on the ring gear depends on where the engine last stopped. If the engine stopped with the damaged teeth exposed to the starter, the result in the grinding noise. If the ring gear is not replaced, you can probably go a while before it becomes a real problem and not engage at all. The symptoms will only get worse with each grinding startup.

If the time comes that the starter fails to engage the ring gear, you can rotate the crank by hand about 15 degrees to expose a non-damaged set off teeth to the starter. Given this is an automatic; you will need to use a socket wrench on the front crank pulley. Or sometimes you can rotate the alternator pulley or whatever other accessories there are exposed. Just stating the last part so you understand the ring gear is not totally damaged, just certain spots. Might help you if your stranded somewhere and the starter will only make those grinding noises.

If you are interested in the details of how the ring is setup and what it takes to change it, go to the link below and find the manual for your Generation of car.

http://oregonstate.edu/~tongt/camry

Variety=Spice · 11-28-2006, 05:28 PM

Thanks for the tips.

I did study the manual for an hour or so this morning, but it makes a lot of assumptions about what one is trying to do...like assuming one is trying to remove the transmission.

I'll try your suggestion to regrind the damaged teeth a bit. That's a great idea.

fredk · 11-28-2006, 09:21 PM

get the trans out, you have to or you are not going to be able to tighten the bolts right, leave the motor mount on the pass side end of the motor in place, that way the motor cant fall out and go to town

white90dx · 11-29-2006, 03:13 AM

Before you go tearing things totally apart, make sure the teeth on the ring gear are actually messed up. Take out the starter and slowly rotate the crank to see if it is damaged. Otherwise, its a starter issue (which I think is more likely).

-Charlie

Variety=Spice · 12-10-2006, 07:35 AM

I finally got around to messing with this flywheel. Indeed one can inspect the flywheel teeth by removing the thin vertical plate from the bottom. Thanks for air tools to remove all the subframe parts to access the plate.

My hopes were shattered, though, when I realized I was looking at the opposite side of the flywheel from which the starter engages, so any hopes of reshaping the damaged teeth were dashed.